Defence admits that alleged abusers have been pushed up the ranks

Chief of Army message on sex scandal3:06

A message from the Chief of Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison, AO, to the Australian Army following the announcement of Defence investigations into allegations of unacceptable behaviour by Army members.

June 14th 2013

3 years ago

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The Royal Military College, Duntroon ... a former cadet has made disturbing new allegations about abuse.

DOCUMENTS released under Freedom of Information laws support claims from a former army cadet that officers who engaged in rape and sexual assaults have been promoted to senior ranks.

A former cadet at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) told News Corp Australia that he was sexually assaulted with a broom handle and bashed by a group of three senior cadets who still serve in the army and navy, including one who has been promoted to Colonel.

The victim, who asked not to be named, said the incident was covered up and he was encouraged to leave the force by another officer who is now a Major-General in the Australian Army.

Message to abuse victims ... General David Hurley..Source:Supplied

The man, who did not raise a formal complaint with the Defence Abuse Response Task Force (DART), has finally raised the issue with the top brass after former Defence Chief General David Hurley asked for victims to contact him.

In the documents obtained by the ABC under FOI, Defence admits that people named in 15 of the so-called ADFA 24 cases of sexual abuse during the 1980s and 1990s remained in the military.

In a briefing note to Minister David Johnston dated December 2013 General Hurley says that the most senior officer was a Major or equivalent.

A former ADFA cadet — now a mid-ranking officer — told the ABC that she had been forced to serve alongside a man who she alleged had raped her at the military training institution in the late 1990s.

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